New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-25
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
RESULTS OF 4 REMARKABLE BOOM.
PRICES IN Los ANGELES INCREASE FIvE-FoLD IN
ONE YEAR-A WILD SPECULATIVE CRAZE
GROWTH OF RIVERSIDE, SANTA BAR

BARA AND SAN DIEGO.
IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
SAN Francisco June IA year ago last April 1t was
my good fortune to spend fortnight In Southern Cal
iiorna Much OF this time was devoted to Los Angeles
and the colonies round about. The place which i'm
pressd the most strongly the great prlcpalty of
10000 belonging to Lucky" Baldwin, the million
are. At that time the foreman OF Baldwins ranch, Mr.
Fulvey wanted to buy few acres OF the ranch for
speculation He had secured thirty the year before
for 800 and then the landwas bengsod at
$500 "You need not be surprised If this same
land sells for 800 acre In q year from now The
Eastern tourists good orange land, handy to large
city like Los Angeles and they find finer loca
ton than in this heart OF the San Gabriel Valley with
water piped directly upon the property But although
fhe was hardheaded unimagnative man, 1t didn't &C
possible that this scrubby looking land, without i'm
provemens, thirteen miles from Los Angeles could ever
be worth than asked for 1t then200 an acre
The new town OF BALDWIN then being laid out on
level strip OF the ranch and just back OF this town toward
the neghboring mountains the property of Mr. j. NJ
Munro. New-Yorker who had bought about 800 acres
OF Baldwin at $3.50 He had built fine house
and was talking OF cutting up his place into small lots
and founding colony. It didn't look very promising
for such enterprise the colonies town would
have the advantage and he talked of charging prices for
land nearly as high as they demanded.
WHAT YEAR BROUGHT FORTH.
Well, single year has passed and Mr.. Fulvey last
week was in this city on visit He told tale that has
flavor OF the Arabian nights about it, His story would
be almost incredible 1t not for the hard facts that
prove II and also for similar experiences in Kansas City
and other booming towns I'm the Missouri Valley. He
said the great boom in Los Angeles began few months
after my visit but that 1t did not gain huge proportions
until toward last Christmas In the first place, all the
colonies Los Angeles began to advance the price OF
improved and umimproyed property In Pasadena, which
the prettest colony of southern California the price
OF improved land, planted in oranges vines, suddenly
jumped up from 81 900 to $4,000 an acre. and holders
did about parting with it at the latter figure
Then the small colonies OF Samanda Park and Ahambra
which were between Pasadena and Badwin's Ranch, be
gan Ill and villa residences sprang up all along the
San Gabriel Valley hghroad. Then rush was mado
or Baldwin's tract.
But it will perhaps be best to let Mr. Fuvey tell the
story in his words Said he: e You remember
Munros house Well sixty houses built around
his place, now and the colony Is called Monrovia 1t
has big hotel built by the late Major Keifer, Of the
Grand Central Hotel OF NewYork CITY, who committed
suicide there The hotel paid well and all the cooniss
TO have plenty OF money. Even weekly ncwspa-
per has been started and half dozen real estate agents
have hung their shingles. Munro sold his land al
the way from $500 to 81 900 acre. and he could Ia
sold good deal than he had In fact, these people
coming crazy get hold OF land. sold fifteen
OF my land for 81 900 aud the rest OF 1t
am selling out in town lots 800 front foot You sec
the town of Baldwin adIons my tract The town name
was changed to Arcadia Tho lots were sold rapidly
the land good and pure mountain water Is piped TO
every lot Nearly all the land around about Arcadia has
been sold at OOO an acre. Baldwin has sold several
thousand acres at this prices you estimate what his
profits have been In fact we are all getting rich
and the boom shows no signs OF coapslns'
GENERAL sroNEMAN's LUCK.
From the same source II was learned that ex-Gov
ernor Stoneman, who owns a ranch near Baidwns ana
who was anxious to sell It several years ago when
oranges we're drug aud grapes sold at low rates is now
peddng his property in villa Sites for which ne mas
received IA high "a $4,000 His land was within
easy walking distance OF the Raymond Hotel at
Pasadena which is the great tourist resort for the Los
Angeles district neighbor OF stonemans, L. j. Rose
has sold his famous Sunny Slope" ranch to an English
syndicate for big price, but he would have done better
TO keep and sell villa sites to the "onclunged Yankee
tourist with no health but plenty OF coin.
Said another resident OF Los Angeles who was In the
city few Gays ago: "You haven't the fantest Idea OF
the land crazo that Possesses Los Angeles Any man
can sell slioe OF tho Mohave desert II he only makes
pretty map OF 10 and holds auction. IL Is fair propo-
siton 70 say that no viii buy land OF map
without personal inspection OF ,he ground Yet gang
Of spectators Los Angeles have been selling colonies
and town sites maps and long lines Of buyers have
stood in tho street from carly morning eager TO get
chance 10 be swindled For Il is nothing but cold
swnde to sell land that has formed the bed OF creek
and that has water IN It for irrigation at 500
al acre Tho purchasers can do nothing with IT, as land
ia Los Angeles County that has no water right Worsc
than worthless. You can't grow anything put wneat
will produce grain without irrigation. Most OF these peo
pie who but lots al auction never go near The land Ihgy
Character there viii Sc awful howl go up from these
swinded suckers"
THE Los ANGELES SPECULATIVE CRAZE.
Elm Los Angeles itself there is the same speculative
craze Real estate on the principal business streets is held
It.,b tha Francisco.
Four years ago you could buy the best business property
for 5000 front foot Now the agents want $1,000
front foot and side 5000 foot Is demanded
For choice residence $3.50 front foot asked
and decent lot. within mile OF the business centre
can be bou ght for less than 800 front foot These
prices It must be remembered are for unmproved prop
crty, or property with old ramshaoke buildings How
absurd these prices may DO Judged from the fact that
Los Angeles has only about 10000 people; that IL can
mover be great business centre because Is TOO far
tho winter tourists travel for many years TO como and
this nux OF thousands OF wealthy people IN search OF
sa Sn bSgo M poM rival in this respect
and may yet Outstrip IL In the race.
OLD SAN BERYARDINo AROUSED.
All the way down from Los Angeles to San Diego the
has prevailed for months and this spring II seems
to lave gained in lusness with the arrival of thousands
OF tourists from the The sleepy old town of san
Bernardino. which has fine climate, grand mountain
scenery aud rich SOIL has been aroused No less than
large colonies have been founded near the town on
land which VIA originally taken up by Mormons more
than thirty years ago When Brigham Young recalled
all the Saints to salt Lake. just before Albert sydney
Johnston arrived there with United states troops these
sIonons virtually gave ny the largo ranches that tho
had improved A few renegadvs who refused To obey
Brighams order continued 10 hold their land and these
men have now been made rich by the immense Increase
In values Como Old orange groves near San Bernardho
larger and finer trees than any others III the state
hav hgan
TO those of the famous Riverside In the quality OF Their
fruit and its freedom the scale aud smut which IN
lures the appearance OF the Los Angeles oranges The
most absurd prices being asked and received Tor
orange land near Bernardno One sale Is reported
OF lot 5Ox25 feet In one OF these colonies called LII
gonna 1850 This. II must he remembered was Tor
the unimproyed lot IN colony six miles from any raft
road The boom is going on In the new coionlos
along the line OF the railroads all the way from los
Angeles to Cotton. Here no loss than six new colonies
fine conyenences OF old settled towns Nothing more